Shower head



United States Patent Inventor Richard D. Pecka Northfield, Ill. App]. No. 752,707 Filed Aug. 14,1968 Patented Dec. 15, I970 Assignee Eaton Yale & Towne Inc.

a corporation of Ohio SHOWER HEAD 2 Claims, 2 Drawing Figs.

U.S. Cl 239/460, 239/5 87 Int. Cl BOSb 1/32 Field of Search 239/456, 460, 5 87 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,849,517 3/1932 Fraser 239/460 2,285,831 6/1942 Pennypacker 239/460 2,936,958 5/1960 Shames et a]. 239/460X 3,384,307 5/1968 Moen 239/460 Primary ExaminerM. Hension Wood, .Ir. Assistant Examiner-Michael Y. Mar Attorney-Hill, Sherman, Meroni, Gross & Simpson ABSTRACT: A shower head having a lever-activated cam to move a nozzle for controlling the fineness of the water spray, the nozzle having circumferential tapered and parallel walled V-shaped grooves therein to direct water inwardly and outwardly therefrom, eliminating the need for center holes and the torque on the spray-control lever to prevent self-activation thereof by water pressure governed by a friction washer shelled in abutting contact to movable and nonmovable shoulders by a compression spring.

PATENTED aim 51910 35471353 3 IN VEN'IUR 2 SHOWER HEAD BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention j This invention relates to plumbing equipment and more particularly to a shower head.

2. Prior Art Shower heads having movable nozzle-defining elements to control the fineness of the shower spray are known to the art. It has also been known to cut peripheral grooves in the movable element to direct the water passing through the grooves outwardly-in a conical manner from the shower head. However, such prior art shower heads, in order to'conduct water interior'lyof the outwardly directed cone, haveprovided small center holes through the base of theshower head. Water from these center holes then filled the center section of the cone.

In many areas of the world, the water supply contains a large amount of minerals in suspension. These minerals build up deposits in any small aperture and thus over a period of time tend to clog the small center holes.

It has also been known in the prior art to movethe movable element of the shower head by the action of a rotatable cam having a lever at one end thereof. However, in order to prevent the force of the water passing through the shower head from rotating the cam by pushing down the movable element, it has been necessary to build in a torque requirement for rotation of the cam. Such prior art shower heads have achieved the torque requirement either by packing glands or by compression of rubber parts. These methods are either critical from dimensional aspects or require periodic adjustment to compensate for wear.

SUMMARY.-

head, I eliminate the need for the above-mentioned center holes, and provide a controlled torque on the above-mentioned rotatable cam which is not dimensionally critical and which is self-compensating for wear.

At a plurality of points around the periphery of the movable nozzle-defining clement, grooves are cut. to control the direction and flow of the water. The majority of the grooves are of a tapered V-shape, with the largest opening at the upper end of the periphery. These tapered V -shapcd grooves direct the water passing therethrough outwardly in an expanding cone having as its apex the shower head. A plurality of nontapered V-shaped grooves are interspersedwith the tapered V-shaped grooves. The nontapered grooves direct are interspersed with the tapered V- shaped grooves. The nontapered grooves direct water passing therethrough inwardly in a conical shape having the shower head as its base.

The nozzle-defining apparatus is reciprocally movable by means of a rotatable cam. The cam is a cylindrical rod having an axially offset projection received inan aperture in the nozzle-defining apparatus. The other end of the cam is fixedly attached to a lever for rotating the cam. A raised shoulder on the cylindrical body of the cam is axially spaced from a housing-carried shoulder. The cam shoulder is spaced from the housing-carried shoulder in the direction away from the lever. A friction washer is interposed between the two shoulders and a spring acts between the housing-carried shoulder and the lever to force the cam shoulder against the friction washer. In this manner, the torque necessary to prevent undesired rotation of the cam is provided by the friction force of the cam shoulder riding against the friction washer. This torque is kept constant by the action of the compression spring.

It is then an object of this invention to provide a new and improved shower head.

It is a further object of this invention-to provide an improved shower head having an annular nozzle-defining movable apparatus with peripheral grooves therein, adapted to direct water both conically outwardly from the apparatus and invertedly conically inwardly, thereby eliminating the need for small centrally-disposed nozzle-defining holes in the said apparatus.

It is yet another object, of this invenifon to provide a shower head with a cam-actuated movable nozzle-defining apparatus for controlling the fineness of spray which has an improved torque control for the cam.

It is yet another and more specificobject of this invention to provide an improved showerlheadiwith a movable nozzledefining apparatus for selectively controlling the fineness of spray which apparatus in cam-operated and wherein the cam has a constant built-in torque requirement generated by a spring compressed friction washer.

Other and further objects of this invention will be apparent to those skilled in this art from the following detailed description of the annexed sheet of drawings which, by way of a preferred embodiment of the invention, illustrate one example of the invention. 1

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional plan view cross-sectional plan view of the shower head of this invention.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the nozzle area of the shower head of this invention taken along the-lines ll, l-I of FIG. 1.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT FIG. 1 illustrates a shower head 10 of this invention. A

shower head 10 depends from a ball-ended coupling 11 which has a threaded end 12 adapted to be attached to a shower water pipe and a substantially circular ball end 13 adapted to be attached to the shower head 10. The coupling 11 has a bore 14 therethrough in which is seated a plug 15. The plug 15 substantially blocks the bore 14 and has a reduced size aperture 16 therethrough for controlling the amount of water flow. The size of the aperture 16 determines the amount of water which may pass through the coupling 11 in a given amount of time. As an-example, the aperture 16 may be sized so as to restrict the flow of water through the coupling II to 3 gallons per minute.

' The shower head 10 consists of a housing 11a shaped substantially as the frustum of a paraboloid. A reduced'diameter threaded portion 17 extends upwardly from the top 18 of the housing 11a. A collar nut 19 is threaded-onto the external threads 20 of the reduced-diameter extension 17. The nut 19 has an internal diameter at the top thereof 21 which is less than the diameter of the ball end 13 of the coupling 11.

The reduced-diameter extension 17 has an internal bore 22 having a diameter equal to or slightly greater than the diameter of the ball end 13 of the joint. In this manner, when the nut 19 is threaded onto the extension 17 with the nut 19 around the ball end 13, the housing 11a is firmly attached to the ball end 13. An internal gasket 23 which rests on a shoulder 24 in the bore 22 is pressed into engagement with the ball 13 when the nut 19 has been fully threaded onto the extension. The compression of the gasket 23, provides sufficient friction force to allow the housing 11a to be pivoted on the ball I3 and remain in what ever whatever position on the ball is desired.

Axially below the shoulder 24 a central chamber 25 is hollowed out of the housing 11a. The chamber 25 initially has a diameter slightly less than the bore 22. The chamber 25 then increases in diameter to fill substantially all of the housing 11a. The chamber 25 continues through the remainder of the housing lIa forming a bottom annular opening 26 in the houstral column 33 extends axially beyond the peripheral wall 32 into the reduced-diameter portion of the central chamber 25. The central column 33 is comparatively thin walled and has a plurality of spaced-apart apertures 35 extending therethrough communicating the interior of the column 33 to the central chamber axially above the termination of the peripheral wall 32.

The spray body is dimensioned to freely fit within the chamber 25 with a slight clearance between the peripheral wall 32 and the inside diameter of the chamber 25 at the bottom thereof. There is also a clearance between the column 33 and the inside diameter 41 of the reduced-diameter portion of the chamber 25. The spray body 33 has an axial height less than the axial height of the chamber 25 and is axially movable and rotatable therein. An interior peripheral groove 42 extends around the inner diameter of the chamber 25 in close space relationship to the bottom 26 thereof. Fitted into the groove is a spray gasket 43 which mates with the back wall 44 of the groove 42 and the outer diameter 45 of the peripheral wall 32.

A plurality of grooves 46 are cut axially into the other diameter 45 of the peripheral wall 32 in circumferentially spaced relationship therearound. Because the spray gasket 43 seals the housing to the outer diameter 45 of the spray body 30, water entering the chamber 25 from the bore 14- through the apertures 35 can exit therefrom only through the grooves 46. The majority of the grooves are V-shaped and are tapered having their deepest cut into the peripheral wall 32 at the top thereof. In this manner, as the spray body is axially lowered from the position illustrated in FIG. 1, the area of the grooves increases and the fineness of the spray resulting therefrom decreases.

Because the grooves are tapered, water passing through them is directed outwardly from the shower headin a conical shape with the shower head as the apex of the'cone. In order to supply water to the interior of the cone, a plurality of nontapered grooves 48 are provided around the periphery of the peripheral wall 32 interposed with the grooves 46. The grooves 48 are V-shaped and have their apex parallel with the axes of the shower spray body 30. Water passing through the grooves 48 beyond the housing 110 will be deflected inwardly in an inverted conical pattern with the base of the cone being the shower head. In this manner, water is supplied to the interior of the cone formed by the water from the grooves 46.

lt can therefore be seen that the water from the grooves 48 combines with the water from the grooves 46 to provide a complete water fall area below the shower head 10 and to eliminate the need for small central nozzle holes in the spray body which could become clogged with mineral deposits.

Alternatively described, it can be said that the shower head 10 has an operating axis which, in the example shown, is the axis of a paraboloid. The operating axis is also the axis of the flow of water through the shower head. The spray body blocking the bore prevents flow of fluid except at the periphery thereof, which flow is directed by the grooves. The tapered grooves direct the water passing therethrough in such a manner so as to create a fluid fall area which expands at an angle to the operating axis. The expansion is proportionate to the distance of the water downstream from the discharge end of the grooves. The nontapered grooves direct the water so as to create a converging water fall area which water fall area converges toward the operating axis, thereby filling the expanding dry area interior of the water fall area created by the tapered grooves. It is to be understood, of course, that the term water fall area" encompasses an area of increasing cross section as the area becomes more distant from the shower head. It is further to be understood that although the water fall areas are described as conical" and invertedly conical, the area in which the water is to be found continuously increases. Therefore, although the water passing through the nontapered grooves creates an inverted cone water fall area, it is to be understood that by the time the cone has reached its apex, a cross section taken perpendicularly to the operating axis of the shower head will show a completely filled circular water fall area. Because of the relatively small diameter of the spray body, this complete water fall area is achieved a relatively short distance downstream from the shower head.

A cam device 50 is used to axially move the spray body 30 in the chamber 25. The cam device50. consists of a lever handle 51, a bushing 52, a cam 53, a friction washer 54, and a spring 55. An annular aperture "56 extends through the body 110 and boss 27 and 101 112 to the central chamber 25. The aperture 56 is variously dimensioned and has internal threads 58 therein. The bushing 52 is generally .cylindrical with reduced-diameter end portions and is threaded into the threads 58. The bushing 52 has an axial bore 59 thcrethrough which has a short axially spaced reduced-diameter portion 60 providing two abutment shoulders 61 and 62 interior of the bore 59.

The cam 53 is generally cylindrical having an axially offset extension 63 on one end thereof which projects into the chamber 25 and through an aperture 64 in the central column 33 of the spray body-30. Thus it can be seen that rotation of the cam 53 will cause the spray body 30 to be raised and lowered in the central chamber 25. The end 65 from which the extension 63 projects is sized approximately the same as the aperture 56 at that point. A reduced-diameter groove 66 adjacent the end 65 receives an O-ring seal 67 to prevent leakage of water through the aperture 56. The groove 66 terminates in an increased radius portion 68 of small axial length. The portion 68 provides shoulders 69 and 70. The shoulder 70 abuts the O-ring seal 67. The shoulder 69 is spaced a short distance from the shoulder 61 in the bushing 52. Interposed between the two shoulders 61 and 69 is the friction washer 54. The cam 53 terminates at the end opposite the end 65 in a splined extension 70 which is received in a splined bore of the handle 51. The handle 51 is firmly attached to the splined end 70 by means such as a screw 71. The handle 51 has an axially projecting annular washer 72 which projects into the bore 59 of the bushing 52. The annular washer 72 provides a shoulder 73 axially spaced from the shoulder 62. The coil spring 55 acts between the shoulders 62 and 73.

The force of the coil spring 55 forces the handle 51 outward from the body 119 of the shower head. This outward force of the handle 51 is transmitted through the screw 71 and splined end 70 to the cam 53 and acts to compress the friction washer 54 between the shoulders 61 and 69. v

Because the force generated by the spring 55 is constant, the friction created by the friction washer 54 when the cam 53 is turned also remains constant. Any wear of the friction washer or shoulders 61 and 69 is automatically compensated for by the spring 55. In this manner, a set torque can be designed into the shower head 10 which is sufficient to prevent water pressure acting against the spray head 30 from moving it axially in the shower head from any preset position. Therefore, once the fineness of spray has been determined by turning the handle 51, it will remain as set.

It can therefore be seen from the above that my invention provides for a new and improved shower head having an effective water spray area without small nozzle holes in the bottom of the spray head which could become clogged because of material deposits, and which also provides for a novel way of controlling the friction required to move a movable nozzledefining spray body.

1 claim: I

1. A shower head assembly comprising: a housing having a bore therethrough defining an inlet to said housing and an outlet from said housing, a spray body in said housing, said spray body movable in said bore, said spray body partially blocking said outlet and effective to define a waterfall area downstream of the said outlet, movement of said spray body in said bore effective to change the characteristics of said waterfall area, cam means extending through said housing to move said spray body, said cam means having a shoulder thereon, a second shoulder carried by said housing in spaced relation from the said cam shoulder, a friction washer between the said two shoulders, and spring means acting between the said housing and the said cam means to press the said cam shoulder against the said friction washer and the said friction washer against the said second shoulder effective to produce a constant torque requirement for actuating the said cam means to move the said spray body.

2. A shower head assembly comprising: a housing, a bore through said housing, said bore substantially cylindrical having varying diameters, said bore having an inlet end and a discharge end, said bore having a smaller diameter adjacent said inlet end, a boss extending into said bore, a spray body in said bore, a said spray body having a hollow central column dimensioned to extend from adjacent the said discharge end to adjacent the said inlet end, said central column dimensioned to fit within said reduced-diameter section of said bore, said central column having apertures therethrough communicating the interior thereof to the said bore, a circular bottom wall closing the end of the said column adjacent the said discharge end of the said bore, said bottom wall extending to substantially block the said discharge end of the said bore, and said bottom wall having a peripheral wall extending at an angle thereto substantially parallel to the axis of the said central column, said peripheral wall in close space relation to the wall of the said bore, axial grooves in said peripheral wall, means preventing passage of fluid through said bore except through said axial grooves, said axial grooves V-shaped, some of said axial grooves tapering in depth having their greatest depth spaced furthest from the said discharge endof the said bore.

some of said grooves being of constant depth.. said tapering grooves effective to direct fluid passing therethrough outwardly from the axis of the said spray body creating a waterfall area downstream of the said discharge end having a substantially conical shape with the apex of the cone being the said spray body, said constant depth grooves effective to direct fluid passing therethrough inwardly towards the axis of the said central column thereby creating a waterfall area downstream of the said discharge end having a substantially inverted conical shape having as the base ofthe cone the said spray body, said waterfall areas effective to create a continuously filled waterfall area downstream of the apex of the said inverted cone waterfall area, said spray body movable in said bore, cam means extending through said housing and said boss effective to move said spray body, said cam beans having a shoulder thereon, a second shoulder carried by said housing in spaced relation from the said cam shoulder,a friction washer between the said two shoulders, and spring means acting between the said housing and the said cam means to press the said cam shoulder against the said friction washer and the said friction washer against the said second shoulder effectiveto produce a constant torque requirement for actuating the said cam means to move the said spray body.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION 3,547, 353 Dated December 15, 1970 Patent No.

Inventor(s) Richard D. Pecka It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

In the specification:

C01. 1, lines 50-51, omit "The nontapered grooves direct are interspersed with the tapered V-shaped grooves.

C01. 2, line 10, "in" should be -is--.

Col. 2, line 21, omit "cross -sectiona1 plan view" (first occurrence) Col, 2, line 60, omit "whatever" (first occurrence) Col. 2, line 68, "sidewall" should be -side wal1--.

Col. 4, 1ine10, "101 112." should be --communicates-. C01. 4, line 43, "11 should be -11a--.

In the claims;

C01. 5, line 13, omit "a" (first occurrence). C01. 5, line 21, omit the word "and".

Col. 6, line 17, "beams" should be -means--.

Signed and sealed this 2nd day of November 1971.

(SEAL) Attest:

EDWARD M.FLETCHER,JR. ROBERT GOT'ISGHALK Attesting Officer Acting Commissioner of Pat 

